Bottle-making- machine



H. C. AYERST.

BOTTLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, I915.

Patented All. 8, 1916.

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WITNESSES: I

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'IIIIIII WITNESSES.

HARRY C. AYERST, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

BOTTLE-MAKING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 8, 191.6.

Application filed September 1, 1915. Serial No. 48,422.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. AYERs'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of receptacles for milk or other substances from fibrous material such as paper pulp, and has for its object the improvement in apparatus of this character.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of devices, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the'accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view shown partly in horizontal section and partly in plan of a bottle-making machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially through 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the mold members of the machine, with a portion of the gauze screen removed. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the vacuum controlling valve shown in a different position from which it is illustrated in Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I employ a plurality of unitary mechanisms which are individually capable of producing the pulp containers or bottles. For each such bottle making mechanism is provided on the framework 5 a platform 6 having centrally thereof an \upwardly projecting cylindrical hollow portion 7 which terminates at a shoulder 8 which extends into a projection 9 to afford a core upon which the mouth of a bottle is formed.

Mounted upon a platform 6 is a number of hollow segmental mold blocks 10. These mold blocks are movable radially from the axis of the mold by means of guides such as a .rib 11 (Fig. 2) provided on the underside of a mold-block operating in a slot 12 of the platform and a rod 13 slidable in a socket member 14 of the machineframe. Complementary to said mold-blocks and adapted to fit into the space inclosed thereby when the blocks are in juxtaposed positions is a vertically movable hollow cylindrical cap member 15.

The aforesaid projections 7 and 9, together with the blocks 10 and the cap-mcmber 15 forations 16 for the passage of water into the chambers 6 10 and 15 of the various mold elements. Said perforated walls are each furthermore covered with a layer 17 of foraminated material, such as finely woven wire gauze, which constitutes a part of the mold and against which the pulp is deposited in producing a bottle. The referred to radial movements of the blocks 10 are effected by means of levers 18 fulcrumed intermediate their lengths to pivots 18 and are con nected by an arm of each to studs 19 provided on sleeves 19 which are mounted on rods 20 secured to and extending radially from the respective blocks. The sleeves l9 operate between adjustment nuts 20 threaded on the rods and springs 21 which are interposed between the sleeves and the respective blocks whereby, when the sleeves are moved inwardly, the blocks will be accordingly moved by pressures which willyield after the adjacent sides of the blocks are in uxtaposition.

As shown in Fig. 1, the levers 18 are arranged to be operated from power-driven shafts 22 and 22 disposed at opposite sides of the machine and through the medium of eccentrics 23 whose rods 23 are connected to heads 2% which, in turn, are connected to said levers by pivotal pins 2& passing through slots provided in the arms. The cap member 15 is supported by the downwardly directed extremity 25 of the arm 25 of a stem 25 extending vertically through a box 26 provided on a bracket 27 of the machine frame.

Secured to the stem 25 by set collars 28 against relative longitudinal movement is a sleeve 29 having trunnions 29 for connecting the same by links 30 to lever members 31 which are secured to a pin or bolt 31 having a rocking movement and serving as a fulcrum bearing in a frame bracket '27. One of a pair of levcr members 31 is connected by a pin 31 with the upper end of a bar 32 which carries a roller 32 which tracks on a cam 32 provided therefor on the shaft 22 for the purpose of transmitting oscillatory movements to the lever members 31 to alternately raise and lower the associated stem and the cap member 1:") of the mold which is supported thereby.

The stem in being elevated is given a partial rotary movement by means of the end of a screw 33 secured to the box '26 and extending into a cam groove 3i provided in the stem.

35 represents a supply pipe extending through the platform 6 into the space within the mold from a reservoir 36 for the pulp material. Said supply pipe is provided subjacent to said platform with an opening 35 for the admission of air under the control of a rotary valve 37. This valve is provided with an operating handle 37 which is connected to an end of a push-rod 38 having a shoulder 38 adapted to be engaged by a finger 39 provided on a shaft 39 to close the valve in opposition to a spring 40 which tends to open the same. The shaft 39 may *be rotated by anysuitable means as, for example, from shaft 22, by a chain 41 passing about sprocket wheels 39 and 22 upon the respective shafts.

I The material from which thebottles are produced-in the mold is in the nature of'a thin pulp which is maintained in a comparatively homogeneous condition by stirring appliances such as revolving blades 42 provided in the reservoir. This material is elevated through the supply pipe 35 by suction means applied through the chambers 6 10 and 15 of the various mold members to cause the pulp to be drawn or deposited against the screens 17, whereat the thicker or more solid portions of the pulp are arrested to afford the bottl structure and the greater portion of the liquid matter is drawn through the screens and perforations of the mold members into the chambers thereof and thence escapes through the suction pipes, as will now be explained.

43 represents a pipe connected with a vacuum pump or with a tank (not shown) from which the air pressure is reduced below that of the atmosphere. The pipe 43 is connected by branches 43 having connections 43 with vacuum or air-controlling valves, one for each mold. Each of said valves, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, are of the type conventionally known as three-way and consists of the cylindrical valve proper 44 having a passage 44 passing diametrically therethrough and in rectangular relation thereto a communicating passage 44 The casing 45 for such valve is provided with ports 45 45 and 45 arranged to register with the valve passages when the valve is in the rotary position in which it is represented in Fig. 4. Said casing is also provided with a hole 45 which is disposed to admit air through the passage 44 into a port 45 when the v.lve occupies approximately the position shown in Fig. 2.

A valve is oscillated to alternately move it into the referred to positions by means of a bar 46 connected to an arm 47 of the valve and actuated by a cam 48 on the shaft 22. Each of the valve casings 45 is connected by a fitting 49 having branches 49 and 49 the branch 49 being connected by a pipe 50 with the chamber 6 of the platform 6 and the other branches 49 are connected by flexible tubes 50 with the several chambers 10 of a set of mold members 10.

Extending from a casing port 45 is a pipe 50 which connects with a cavity 26 provided in the box 26 through which the stem 25 operates. Said stem is'hollow and is provided with a port which will afford communication between the chamber 15 of cap member 15 and the pipe 50 when the stem is in its lowermost position and with the port opening into said cavity. \Vhen the stem is raised, however, to elevate said port above the box, then air will be admitted into the chamber 15 from the external atmosphere.

51 represents a shaft connected by gears 51 with the shafts 22 and 22 for transmitting rotary motion to the latter from shaft 22 which may be driven by any suitable means as by a power belt 52 passing about a pulley 52 on such shaft.

53 represents a receiver upon which the bottles are deposited from the cap members; said receiver may be a shelf, a conveyer belt, or other suitable devices.

The operation of the invention may be described as follows: The mold members 10 are moved into the operative positions in which they are indicated in Fig. 2 and in the lower portion of Fig. 1 through the instrumentality of the levers 18 when properly influenced by the eccentrics 23. A cap member 15 is also moved into the position in.- which it is shown in Fig. 2 through the medium of the lever influenced by the cam 32. After these members are thus disposed, a cam 48 has affected the valve 44 for the mold so as to rotate the same into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, resulting in communica .tion being had between the suction pipe 43 and the pipes 50, 50 and 50 which respectively lead from the chambers 6 10 and 1.5 of the mold and whereby the air is not only withdrawn from these chambers but also from the interior of the mold. hen this occurs, the atmospheric pressure obtaining in the reservoir 36 will exercise its forceto elevate pulp material through the supply pipe 35 into the mold and against the gauze lining 17- thereof. The mesh of the gauze is sufliciently fine to prevent the solid particles of fibers in the pulp from passing through, whereas the greater portion of the liquid in the pulp which is deposited against the gauze is sucked throughthe same, leaving a relatively thin portion of the pulp, denoted by B in Fig. 2, spread over the gauze and in a relatively dry state. The valve 37 which is associated with the mold being considered is then rotated into position to admit air through the openings 35 into the pipe 35 and the column of unsupported pulp within the mold falls into the reservoir and some of the 'airthus admitted is caused by the partial vacuum obtaining in the chambers of the mold members to be drawn through the material deposited upon the latter to facilitate the drying of the material; after which the valve 44 has been moved into its Fig. 2 position to shut off the suction which has been acting in the various chambers of the mold, and admit air through hole 15 from the external atmosphere into all of the core chambers except 15 of the cap member. The core members 10 are then withdrawn by the afore-described levers 18 from the pulp shell or bottle B and the lever 31 is acted upon to elevate the cap member 15 accompanied by the bottle which is suspended to the member by such vacuum as remains within the chamber 15 After the bottle has been raised sufficiently to clear the upper ends of the mold members 10, the screw 33 and cam groove 34: serve in the continued ascending travel of the bottle-supporting device, to rotate the stem 25 whereby the arm 25 is swung about the axis of the stem to carry the bottle above the receiver 53, as indicated in the upper portion of Fig. 1. After the bottle is thus carried above the receiver, and near the end of its upward travel, the stem port 25 is exposed to the atmosphere above the box 26 to admit air into the stem 25 and thence into the cap member 15 causing the bottle to be released and to drop upon the receiver. The members of the core are then returned to their operative positions to complete a cycle of operation, and so on.

What I claim is 1. In a. machine of the class described, a separable mold provided with a foraminated inner peripheral surface, power actuated means to move the mold members into and out of operative position with respect to each other, a pulp reservoir, a supply pipe extending from said reservoir into the mold, and pipe connections with the respective mold members wherebv the air may be withdrawn from the mold to cause the pulp to be drawn from said reservoir and deposit it against the internal surface of the mold.

2. In a machine of the class described, a hollow mold having foraminated inner walls, pipes connected with the chambers of the mold, valves for controlling the flow of fluids through said pipes to and from said mold, a pulp supply pipe extending into the mold, and means to regulate the action of said valve to afford a suction within the mold to draw the pulp against the foraminated walls of said mold and also serving to subsequently admit air to release the pulp formed against the mold from the latter.

3. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of hollow mold members having foraminated inner walls, pipes connected with the chambers ofthe respective members, a valve for controlling the flow of fluids through said pipes to and from said mold members, a pulp supply pipe extending into the mold, means to move the mold members into and from operative positions, and means to regulate the action of said valve to afford a suction within the mold members to draw the pulp against the foraminated walls of said mold members and also serving to subsequently admit air-into the members to release the pulp formed against the mold from the latter. a

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a mold having a hollow stationary base member,a plurality of hollow members movable radially into and out of operative positions, a hollow cap member arranged for vertical movements, and means for successively moving said movable members, of pneumatic actuated devices for drawing vessel-forming material into the mold and against the inner surfaces of the respective members thereof, and means to regulate said pneumatic devices to render the cap member operable to support the vessel while the second named members are being withdrawn from the vessel and in the subsequent elevation of the cap member.

, 5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a mold comprising a plurality of hollow members arranged for movements radially of the mold axis, a hollow cap member arranged for axial move ments, each of said members being provided with a foraminated inner surface, and means to effect the relative movements of the respective members into and out of operative position, of pneumatic means to supply pulp material into the mold and eventually deposit such material against the aforesaid foraminated surfaces of said cap and mold members.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a mold comprising a plurality of hollow mold members with foraminated walls providing communication between the interior of the mold and the respective members thereof, one of said members being arranged for vertical movements,

pneumatic devices connected with the chambers of the respective members, a valve for controlling the flow of air from all of the mold chambers and also serving to control the flow of air in a contrary direction into all of the chambers except that of the verticall movable member a valve for admittin 7 3 air into the latter subsequent to air being supplied to the other members, and means to actuate the respective valves. 7

7..In a bottle-making machine having a plurality of hollow members, one. of said members being movable in directions with and revolubly to the axis of the mold, pneumatic devices for depositing bottleforming material a 'ainst the inner surfaces of the mold members, means to effect the referred to movements of said movable member, and

. above the lower end of the same, of pneumatic devices acting through the foraminations of the mold members whereby the pulp is caused to first enter the mold through said conduit and then be deposited against the inner peripheral surface of'themold.

9. In a machine of the class described, a mold comprising relatively'movable foraminated members, power-actuated means to periodically move said members into and out of operative positions with respect to each other, a non-movable pulp-supply pipe extending into the mold, and means whereby a suction is created through the foraminations of the mold members to cause the pulp to be drawn through said supply pipe and against the inner peripheral surface of the mold.

10. In a machine of the class described, a mold comprised of separable members having their inner walls foraminated to afford communication between the interior of the mold and the chambers of the respective members, means to supply pulp to the interior of said mold, and means actuated by variations of air pressures-within the chambers of said members whereby the pulp is first drawn against the fo-raminated walls of themold members and then released therefrom before said members are moved asunder.

11. In a machine of the class described, a mold having a plurality of members, means to effect the movement of said members radially of the mold, another mold member adapted for movements axially of the mold, pneumatic means for depositing material against said mold members. means to effect the separation of the first-named members prior to the movement of the last named member, and pneumatic means to releasably suspend the article produced in the mold to the last named member for the removal of such article from the mold.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a mold providedwith a foraminated inner peripheral surface, a pipe for supplying material into the mold, and means for withdrawing air from the interior of the mold through the foraminations thereof whereby said material is first elevated through said pipe into the mold and then deposited against the inner surface of the latter, of means for admitting air into the interior of the mold subsequent to the material being deposited against the inner surface of the mold whereby surplus material will escape from the mold through said pipe.

13. In a machine of the class described, a stationary hollow platform element of the machine frame, an annular hollow'projection extending upwardly from said element, chambered members constituting with said projection the mold of the machine, said mold having foraminated inner wall surface, a pulp supply pipe extending through said pro ection into the mold, and pneumatic means to suck the pulp into the mold, then depositing it against the for'aminated surface of the mold to form the article.

14. In a machine of the class described, a foraminated mold comprising a plurality of chambered members, a pulp reservoir, a pipe extending from said reservoir into the mold, an air inlet opening for said pipe intermediate said reservoir and the mold, a valve therefor, means to effect a suction from the interior of the mold to effect a supply of material to the mold and deposit it thereagainst when said valve is closed, and also serving to draw air through said opening for drying the material deposited on the mold surface when said valve is open.

Signed at Seattle, I-Vashington, this 25th day of August, 1915.

HARRY C. AYERST.

\Vitnesses PIERRE Bumps. E. Pn'rlcusox. 

